Mistaken Identity
by foodaddict
Summary: Youko Kurama managed to escape his imminent death. What if his best friend accomplished the same feat? Although Kuronue probably should have checked before he jumped into a baby GIRL'S body. What will happen when their human counterparts meet? Please R&R!
1. Freedom And A New Cage

**Disclaimer:** If I owned anyone in Yu Yu Hakusho or the other anime characters in here, I would be turning this story into the actual plotline...not a fanfic. :D Ehe...ehehehe... ;;)

**Summary:** Youko Kurama managed to escape his imminent death. What if his best friend accomplished the same feat? Although Kuronue probably should have checked before he jumped into a baby _girl's_ body. What will happen when their human counterparts meet? And what's Kagome got to do with this?

**Author's Note:** Hello! ;P I know, I know, I _should_ be updating all my other stories, but I couldn't get this idea out of my head and I just had to pour it out somewhere, okay? This chapter's actually a bit rushed—so many things trying to get themselves put into words that I'm not sure if the result is intelligible. I hope you'll let me know—this may be very confusing, but I'm hoping you'll give it a shot and wait for the succeeding chapter, where I'll iron out any questions you might have. Thank you for your time! ;P

Prologue

Freedom And A New Cage

The warm, heavy summer breeze stirred the lush green bamboo trees that surrounded the dilapidated shrine, almost completely obscuring it from view. The beaten path that had led up to it was now overgrown with weeds, practically swallowed up by the encroaching wilderness that had pushed humanity away with its harshness. No human had come to pay respects in over a century—those who lived closest the cruel mountain ranges were probably even unaware of the old shrine's existence.

How things had changed. Centuries before it had been a grand place—revered, adored, and fiercely protected. The priceless treasures it had held within were the stuff of legends, and all manner of folk—some more or less than human—had woven designs about them for ages. Some were graced with success, and many artifacts of great worth and power passed into the hands of others who put them to other (less than noble) uses.

Others, however, were not so fortunate.

_Kuronue._

The sweet smell of decay hung in the air, the rotting wood and former finery gilded with the silvery moonlight. Beneath the shrine, the staircase leading down to the room long eaten away by the climate and insects, rusted metal chained a twisted, skeletal body to the slimy earthen wall.

_Kuronue._

Maggots had consumed most of the flesh, time had turned the fine clothing into crumbling rags. In the full century since he had seen another person the creature had weakened considerably. Before, at least they had come to clean him up—clean up the mess he made—because when left alone the stench of his rotting body would choke even the most resilient of them. They had never possessed the power to kill him—at his prime, even amongst his kind he could name those who matched him.

But they did have the power to bind him—prolonging his agony beyond what even he could possibly bear. Ever since he had been captured, his existence had become a vicious cycle that had been drawn out by generations of fearful monks who did not understand the cruelty of their own actions.

The first of those generations had robbed him of his death. They had pulled out the spikes that had destroyed his body believing that he was in possession of the artifact that had been taken from the shrine but moments before. Sorely disappointed in their search, they had dragged him into the prison, where he would reside for several hundred years.

Of course, they had not intended for this to happen. They had attempted to torture him into letting slip the location of their hideout and then leave him to die—he was too strong a demon to be purified, and the most that all their spells and charms could do was bind him. They had broken his already damaged body until he had been convinced that he _would_ die, but the worst of their ministrations only brought him to the edge—never over. He would always recover, his body healing and destroying all infections and (when the monks began thinking that worms could finish him off) intruders. Each time he would graze the edge of death only to be pulled back in frustrated anguish as his demon blood brought him back to his hell of a life.

But now something was happening.

Moisture pooled on the jagged tip of a broken beam, releasing its hold and dropping down onto a mushy brown substance that had once been paper.

_Kuronue._

Another drop hit the paper, and within that instant a chunk of it slid off the thin metal it had clung to for centuries.

_Kuronue, wake up! The seals—they're breaking!_

The gaunt remains of a demon groaned, tattered wings twitching as the soft, soothing voice that had consoled him and given him strength for years before his incarceration came to him again. He could almost see the stone, almost feel its warmth against his cold, withered skin. The monks had taken it away from him when they had bound him, but he knew it was near. It was like an extension of his soul, and the loss of it throbbed like the gaping cavity in his chest.

_But I'm so weak_, he whispered back to his mother's voice. _I haven't eaten in centuries. This body—_the cracked leathery wings flapped fruitlessly—_is useless. Once the seals break, perhaps I can finally die. _

_NO!_

His mother's voice—angry and desperate—exploded in his ears more clearly than it ever had since her death. The demon jerked convulsively, thin skin peeling away to expose sunken eyes that mirrored the blackness around them.

"W—"

His throat tightened, the muscles having forgotten how to move in speech. The demon closed his eyes, gathering the fragmented parts of his being and centering them on finding his mother's voice.

_What?_

Even in his mind his voice was cracked and weary, but he was long past feeling any shame over it. Past feeling any shame in wanting the escape that death offered. It was so _close._

_You did not survive centuries of torment only to die like this, Kuronue. Death after so much suffering—after your body has fought so hard to live—is not what I want for you. When you have left this place you will realize that it is not what you want for yourself, either. For now, you have to trust me, my son. The seals are breaking, but if left to themselves it will take many more years for them to give way. You and I both know that you will not last much longer. You have to hasten the breaking, my son, so that you may leave this accursed place._

The muscles around the demon's mouth twisted it into a smirk. _To what point, Mother? I've told you, this body is useless. Even if I were able to summon up enough spirit energy to break the seals, I'd die within days—I'm too weak. _

He was met with silence. Despair crashed down on him with renewed force and some of the precious blood that remained in his body trickled out when he clenched his fists and his claws dug into his palms. He almost despised her—her love and her insistence grated on him now, when all he wanted to do was lay down and die. Why did she have to speak? Why did she have to ask pointless things of him? W—

_There is a way to save you, Kuronue. A way to regain your strength. _

His claws dug deeper into his palms.

_What? _

His mother's voice softened, lowered into a velvety caress that made him open his eyes in wonder as she whispered her next words.

_Can't you smell it anymore, my son? There are humans nearby. _

---

"Damn," Saki cursed softly, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She crawled away from the mess she made and back to her tent, where her husband lay snoring, ink blotches spattered endearingly over his nose. Zipping the tent shut, she crawled over him to her side of the tent and lay down, snuggling back into the still-warm groove she had made next to him.

Being pregnant sucked.

She was being honest with herself when she thought that, and though she would not give up a single night spent in Shigure's arms (_When he makes it worth my while? I'm pregnant, not insane!_), she was beginning to wish they'd been more careful. In the three reckless months they'd spent going around Europe for their honeymoon, she'd never thought that getting pregnant would prove less than convenient.

Until, of course, she'd come home and found a funding offer from Tokyo University that would take care of all her expenses. Her doctorate required a formal thesis, after all, and while she was more than capable of financing her own study, the offer of funding and all manner of support from the country's most prestigious university was enough to send her packing.

And so here she was, a good fifty miles from the nearest form of civilization, studying plants Shigure had come along to protect her—whether he was protecting her from a _who_ or a _what_ he left unanswered. Her crew was composed of mostly males, after all, and Shigure being Shigure, he expected of them only what he would expect of himself.

Which was, inadvertently, the worst.

Sighing, she closed her eyes and tried to get back to sleep. The air in the country was much clearer and she knew her health had to be improving despite the long hours she put into gathering data. It was still unbearably hot, however, and her condition wasn't helping. There was a bitter taste in her mouth and she felt too sticky for comfort, but the heat was weighing down on her eyelids and the moonlight that brought the surrounding countryside into sharp relief began to haze.

A wild dog howled in the distance and beside her Shigure shifted, his arm wrapping protectively around her. A familiar sensation began to build in her chest and she forced her eyes open as she peered out into the darkness through the flimsy tent screen.

There was nothing.

She reached out instinctively and zipped the flap over the screen shut, shielding herself from the scrutinizing darkness and whatever it was that would come with it.

---

_Kuronue, what are you waiting for! Feed! She's right **there!** Alone and defenseless! Sink your teeth into her!_

It wasn't his mother's voice he heard anymore, but his own. As he lay staring up at the small human woman who stood looking down at him, the demon instincts that had kept him alive for centuries screamed in his blood, making his muscles tighten in anticipation of the warm life that would soon be pouring down his throat, the sweet flesh that would be rolling over his tongue. He felt the instincts beginning to take over, knew his eyes were bleeding scarlet as the seconds ticked by and one of his claws began to inch towards her bare ankle.

_Food._

Her dark, emotionless eyes regarded him without fear, and this was what gave him pause. Even when his fingers tightened around her ankle and his face twisted violently with hunger at her strong, delicious scent, she remained silent and unmoving, and her delicate face remained blank.

"You're dying," she said suddenly, as his claws began to cut into her flesh. Without sparing the punctured skin on her ankle a glance, she sank to her knees beside him, bringing that smell—all that achingly sweet flesh—maddeningly closer. Her eyes moved over his body and he watched in suspended, uncomprehending fascination as her small, tapered fingers traced edges of the gaping cavities in his mangled body.

_Human._

"What are you?" she whispered, her eyes locking onto his once more.

His mouth opened but once more he was unable to force his voice out. When she wiped away the trickle of blood that slid from it he shuddered. A fraction of an inch closer and he would be able to taste her. A low, frustrated and guttural moan left grated against his throat and though her gaze sharpened her hand remained where it was.

"You're hungry, are you?" she asked softly, and for an instant her fathomless eyes filled with emotion—sadness, and sympathy. She cupped his cheek, the warmth of her hand seeping into skin so used to cold. The next instant her fingers were on his mouth and his eyes snapped open only to be trapped in her gaze once more.

_What...?_

"You're too weak to hurt me," the human woman murmured achingly, compassion brimming in her eyes. "You're dying and even if you were to tear a chunk out of me it wouldn't save you." Her other hand covered the claw still digging into her ankle and under her gentle grip it loosened. Ignoring the blood that oozed out as the claw was withdrawn, she cradled the hand with both of her own in her lap. "I can't save you."

A part of him wanted to laugh at her misplaced kindness, but when a drop of moisture slid from her chin onto his claw he flinched. When she spoke again, it was his mother he heard in the soft, flat voice.

_"But I **do** want to save you."_

His claw touched the soft mound of her belly as it twitched with her words, and upon touching it a thought came to his dying, desperate mind.

The woman's eyes widened as a rattling whisper filled the air between them and she stared down at the demon's now clear eyes.

"Perhaps you can."

She continued to stare, wide-eyed, as life left his clear, dark eyes. She would not understand what he meant until several months later, when she gave birth to a healthy baby girl.

**Further Author's Notes: **What do you think? Please leave a review! The button's right there: points diagonally : I really do appreciate feedback! ;P


	2. The New Life

**Disclaimer:** If I owned anyone in Yu Yu Hakusho or the other anime characters in here, I would be turning this story into the actual plotline...not a fanfic. :D Ehe...ehehehe... ;;)

**Summary:** Youko Kurama managed to escape his imminent death. What if his best friend accomplished the same feat? Although Kuronue probably should have checked before he jumped into a baby _girl's_ body. What will happen when their human counterparts meet? And what's Kagome got to do with this?

**Author's Notes:** First and foremost, thank you for all of your reviews! I was so glad for the warm reception to this thread, considering that there's one that was published earlier with similar content by **Inari's angel**—check her out in my favorites. :D I would like to state here and now that I did not read her fic until a reader of mine pointed out the similarities, and I do promise that I did not lift any material from her great fic. Check her out and you'll know what I mean! XP

I _was_ inspired, however, by **Buffybot76's "Kuronue's Pendant"** and **Volpone's "Thief"**, excellent, _excellent _fics that I'm hoping will be updated in the near future. XD They're in my favorites too—great writers, both. XP

This chapter is a bit dragging—I'm sorry if it's such a rip-off after I made you guys wait. But I didn't think I could fit Kurama in here just yet—the next chapter will feature him though—_that much_ I can promise! So please bear with me and give me feedback! What do you want me to include? I've actually got a setup in mind already, but suggestions are always welcome! Plus I might come back and edit this chapter after a while—flesh out some bony portions—but that depends if you like it or not. :D

Enjoy! XP

Chapter 1

The New Life

The sky was a deep, misty blue. The chill in the air was not one of early morning nor was it the chill of the dark night. It was a deeper, more mysterious chill—the kind that seeped into one's bones and past, clenching its bony fingers around one's heart. Nothing stirred. There was no breeze to rustle the grass of that grassy plain, no bird flying overhead to cut through the endless sky. Not a sound penetrated the solid silence and no movement penetrated the steady stillness of the surroundings.

She was a tall woman. Tall, and well-formed. Her arms were long and shapely—a dancer's arms. Her legs were long as well, her thighs powerful and toned. The dress, its silky white fabric now slick, clung to them, outlining the beauty of them. Her dark hair spread out over the grass, the long mass coated with the sweet liquid of life. Her skin was the color of pale gold, her full, lovely lips formed in a little moue. Arched brows slanted over deep, almond-shaped indigo eyes that resembled the murky depths of the sea when touched by light.

And in those eyes she saw death.

Death.

Impossible, insane, but there it was. It was death. Death that covered her beautiful body, as it had covered everything else in that world. It had entered her, consumed her, flown through her just as surely as life had at one point in time.

"How?" she whispered, staring down at the female. Lying in the valley between the woman's breasts was a blood red stone, its burning vermillion depths receding into inky black. The broken chain was twined in her cold fingers, clutched tightly as though it was of extreme importance. Numbly she took it in, grasping for its significance within the hazy recollections of her mind.

The question reverberated through the air, pushing against the silence as it slowly expanded and filled the surroundings.

There came no answer. The blood stone remained dull, devoid of reflection and light. Still nothing stirred. The word hung in the air for what seemed like eternity, and still no reply came. The lightless blue eyes looked up into the sky, as though staring at the question itself as it covered the sky and the air, feeling it moving in the ground beneath them.

"How?" she asked again. "How did this happen?"

_You know how._

The voice inside her mind caused the surroundings to stir—like a pebble rippling the calm surface of a pond.

"It didn't happen to _me!"_ she protested fiercely, unwilling to believe what was right before her eyes. "It happened to _you!"_

A soft chuckle filled her ears and her surroundings rippled again, more forcefully this time—as though the one who had dropped the pebble had picked up and dropped a much larger rock.

_I **am** you._

"_You_," she hissed, "_are a **plague. **I am a self-absorbed, egotistic, narcissistic, conceited being. I **love** me. Since I detest **you**, you are invariably someone else!"_

He sighed wearily. _You know, if I didn't know better, I'd be tempted to believe you. You're so stupidly stubborn sometimes that it drives me crazy._

"Humph. If anyone's mad here, it's me. If I were sane, I'd have pointedly denied your existence to myself when you first popped up."

_Which is when you were about how old? A year and a half? _He snickered. _Oh yes, I'm certain that if you could do it all over again, you would have your very young, but oh-so-rational mind telling yourself that if you can't get Kuronue to shut up, you could very well be schizophrenic. _

"Why are we here again?" she snapped, tiring of having to look at her destroyed body. "What are you playing at, twisting _your_ memories and making me dream them?"

_I'm not twisting anything. You see your body there because you and I **are** the same person now._ _As to why we are here I am as clueless as you. Do you truly believe I enjoy reliving my untimely "demise"?_

"Don't even _begin_ thinking this is my fault—I'm sexy and all, but staring at myself in _this_ state of undress is not my cup of tea." She took one more look at the blood (amongst other things) spattered over her body and shuddered. "This is the third night in a row I've had to look at something freaky from your past, Kuronue. If you've got a theory, I suggest you let the person whose body you're sharing in on it."

_I dreamed along with you, remember, my darling Kurenai? There's no need to remind me. As a matter of fact, I **do **have a theory, but it's a little shaky at the moment. And forget about "forcing" me into telling you—we both know there's no way you're going to be able to kick me out._

She grit her teeth. "You'd better pray things stay that way, because if I ever find a way to rid myself of you..."

---

"My, my, what a face you have this morning," her mother, Mrs. Saki Sohma, murmured with a querying smile, which she promptly concealed as she lifted her coffee cup to her lips. Her smooth brow furrowed slightly when her daughter ignored the comment and walked past her to rummage in the refrigerator. "You've had it for quite a while now," she continued, worriedly now. "Is there something you'd like to tell me, Kurenai?"

The girl straightened, pursing her lips and tightening her grip on the milk carton as she gave her mother an amused glare.

"Stop it, mother," she demanded sharply, and immediately she felt the probing fingers of her mother's mind withdraw from the barrier she had built around her own.

It might be well-known in their social circles that her mother was something of an empath—a "vibe", some preferred to call her, considering her ability to employ vibes in a psychic sense—and it was rumored that she had passed on her mental gifts to her children. This was true, though of course Kurenai and her younger brother never admitted nor denied it, treating the issue as indifferently as bored spectators. Within the Shigure and Saki Sohma's household, however, where unorthodox was the norm if not the rule, perfecting and employing one's gifts and celebrating one's eccentricities was a given.

Except when you used it to pry.

Kurenai still had some way to go in terms of perfecting her own powers—in fact the only time she'd been able to truly manipulate them outwardly was over a year ago, when Kuronue had taken over as the dominant consciousness and—

_I do not want to think about that._

Somewhere in her mind, she heard a soft snicker.

_Shut up, Kuronue._

Nonetheless, as inept as she was at using her psychic abilities outwardly, she _was_ very capable of shielding her own mind from others.

Too bad the one person she wanted to block out the most was immune to her barrier.

**_Could you please explain to me why we're eating that for the eighth time in a row?_**

She settled at the table, pouring more milk over some crisp cornflakes and stuffing a large spoonful into her mouth. _Cold cereal tastes good, **and** it's healthy. _

_**Cold cereal is for cows.**_

"Kuronue?" Saki ventured, refusing to let the issue drop, making Kurenai sigh deeply. Why did she always, _always_ have to invite him into their conversations? It wasn't like he had anything to contribute past all of Kurenai's deepest, darkest, and most well-guarded secrets.

Broodingly, she came up with one conclusion: If she ever found a way to sever their bond and toss him out of her body, she'd have to get rid of him permanently somehow. He knew too much about her to be left hanging around...

**_Yes, mother?_** Kuronue's cheerful, pleased voice rebounded from the back of Kurenai's mind, permeating the barrier she had created to communicate with Saki. Inwardly, Kurenai sighed. Whatever Kuronue was going to do at this point was his decision—they were problematic over _his_ past, after all, not hers. But he _was_ tied to her in some sense—_body_, if not in mind and soul—and what became of him _would_ definitely affect her.

Thus, when Kuronue proceeded to blab about their nightmares with all the energetic mental communication he could come up with to make up for lack of physical expression, she held her tongue and prayed to Kami that her mother would find nothing wrong with them.

Which was unlikely, given the shrewd calculation in Saki's dark eyes.

-Preview of the Next Chapter-

_He looked down into the burning depths of her deep, deep eyes and languorously slid his mouth over hers, nipping sharply at the soft, rosy flesh of her bottom lip. She gasped, opening her mouth and providing him the entry he needed. Her lashes drifted shut and she moaned deep in her throat as his mouth locked onto her own and his searing tongue drove into the slick recesses of her mouth. She pressed forward eagerly at this, heat spiraling down, down, down into nerve endings she was never truly conscious of. Now they all screamed for more—**for him.**_

_Then he was pulling back, leaving her gasping and groaning in protest. A chuckle sounded in his chest, the vibration sending sensation through her own torso, which was pressed so achingly close to his. The slightly rough texture of his tongue was soothing the sting of his soft bite on her lip and she sank helplessly into the sofa, no longer wanting to fight him. _

_Smugly, he looked down into the beautiful girl's flushed, defeated face and raised himself slightly off her. His eyes drifted upwards to check the time before they froze._

_And locked onto dark, cornflower blue eyes that chilled the hottest of the flames in his body. _

-End of Preview-

**Further Author's Notes: **Is there sex in the next chapter? Well, not really...remember, this fic is rated T, so I can't post it here. But you've read the preview, so if what you just saw isn't your cup of tea, let me know asap, okay? So I can adjust... XD Although my beta's already onto half of the third chapter and once she understood what was happening she was cool with the scenes that made her feel like "she was lacking ventilation". Whatever that means. :D

Also, this is where I'm going to be posting my thank-you-s. I know, I know...but I'm a creature of habit and thanking my reviewers in my fics has been my policy since...well, since. :D So everyone, I hope you don't mind if I breach policy and publicly adore my readers, okay? ;D Okay. XP

_gilliane-raine_: Maybe—part of the fun here is guessing the pairings. XP Thanks for the review, babe! XD I'll get to the other fics soon, I promise! ;D

_JGgirl_: Apparently not. :D Or so our characters think...but my evil mind can come up with a lot more ways to give them a hard time...bwahaha...:evil laugh:...

Kuronue and Kurenai: OY!

'Addict: Or not...:innocent smile:...hehe...Thank you for reviewing! ;D ;P

_too lazy to log in_: Thanks! XP I was inspired to write a Kuronue fic by the two authors mentioned above—the idea to make him a girl came after watching Ranma 1/2—if you want to read another of my fics where I swapped someone, check out my profile and look up _Gender Bender_. I'm so evil...Yusuke fans all over must hate me now. XP

_ShadeSpirit_: Aww...:hugs ShadeSpirit tightly:...don't cry...I promise, when I write the flashbacks later on you'll see how much fun Kuro-chan had after...and how much fun he's going to have in the coming chapters. Let me know what you think, okay? ;;) I'm glad you like it—thanks for reviewing! ;P

_sukini_: Yipee! XP You like me! You really like me! ;jumps around like...something that I can't mention here; Right. XP Or maybe you just like my story—either way, I'm so happy! XP Yup, you did invent the word especially for my fic, so I'm all the more flattered! ;grabs sukini; Bwahaha...now I'll never let you go! ;pause; But then you won't be able to review my story if you're strapped up in my room...;sigh;...;reluctantly lets her go;...oh well...I can always adore you and everyone else from here. XP

Oh yes, now that you mention it, **everyone look HERE. **You may be wondering about how freaking weird Saki is—she's a character from the anime Fruits Basket. It's very short: 26 episodes only, but what's cool is you get the plot without needing to pore through the entire length of the manga. She didn't hate Kuronue for reasons I'll explain later on—but basically it's tied to her being on a totally different sphere of reality most of the time, which is why she doesn't act as most people would. XP

Kuro's childhood will come in flashbacks—watch out for his high school life with Kurenai, it's important! XP Anyway, hope you stay tuned and let me know what you think. :D Thank you again for reviewing! ;P

_nine lifes_: Thanks, thanks, thanks! XP Though I think you got me wrong somewhere, honey...Kuronue didn't jump Kagome's body...or maybe _I_ got you wrong? Slap me if I did, I'm so _slow_ these days! Must be all the stress from college life...grrr...anyway, you'll see where Kagome comes into this in the next chapter. I hope you still like it even if it isn't what you thought it was, and if you don't anymore, please let me know what you think anyway. :D Thankshyu! ;hug;

THERE! I know, I know, I'm _so_ long-winded! I'm trying to fix that though, so to wrap it up I just want to say thanks and I hope you'll leave me a review with your thoughts! XP Take care you guys, and much love! XP


	3. A Look Into The Past

**Disclaimer:** If I owned anyone in Yu Yu Hakusho or the other anime characters in here, I would be turning this story into the actual plotline...not a fanfic. :D Ehe...ehehehe... ;;)

**Summary:** Youko Kurama managed to escape his imminent death. What if his best friend accomplished the same feat? Although Kuronue probably should have checked before he jumped into a baby _girl's_ body. What will happen when their human counterparts meet? And what's Kagome got to do with this?

**Author's Notes:** Happy New Year everybody! I know, I know, it's almost a year since I last updated, but there was so much to do and frankly I hit a rough patch with this fic. Thankfully, the muses are being kind and the problem I'm having now is putting all I want to say down in _coherent_ order, lol. ;)

I do hope that the long wait hasn't made my readers lose interest—I'm actually a bit nervous and pressured to come up with something good to make up for the long wait. Unfortunately, I'm not certain if this chapter is what you were hoping for, so do leave a review and let me know. When I've got more time and I'm able to put my jumbled thoughts in order, I may edit and flesh things out, as I plan to do with the first chapter.

That's it, basically—apart from a host of apologies and thanks, as well as many, many hopes that you enjoy this chapter. 'Til next time! ;)

Chapter 2

A Look Into The Past

It promised to be a beautiful day.

Dark, bottle-green eyes surveyed the serene picture that his lofty ninth-floor apartment offered as he finished combing the watered red silk of his hair. Past the parking lot of the condominium was one of the city's many parks—a vast area of greenery to refresh one's eyes after prolonged staring at the steel blue metropolitan skyline. Only it wasn't as green as it was gold this time of year, with splashes of roses, browns, and pinks as the plants donned their fall colors.

He glanced at the plants he tended to in his own apartment, which would appear to be perpetually in spring if one visited him often enough.

Thankfully, the only people who were allowed that privilege were already well aware of his oddities—amongst them his ability to manipulate plants of all varieties—from the roses he favored to the mythical Tree of Death. He could always make the effort to make his home seem more ordinary in case he was forced to bring less informed people home, but the part of him that made him unique could only conform so much. Wasn't it enough that his carnivorous plants kept their tendrils off of his annoying neighbor's meddlesome cat?

Besides, autumn was well and good, but he adored the freshness of spring. Everything was much newer, much more wholesome at that time of year than any other, and if it wasn't the appearance of the world during that season, it was the symbolism of it that hooked him. Spring meant new life and new beginnings, and Kami knew he'd been given both.

Rush hour was considerably lighter during the weekend, with the high-school and below class cut out of the chunk of commuters. His keen eyesight provided him with the picturesque view of teenagers playing football, several people walking dogs, and a fair number of families spreading picnic baskets beneath the blossoming cherry trees. Vendors were starting to hand out their wares and children chased each other as much as the walkers chased their dogs.

As though adding to the nostalgia of the moment as memories of similar activities danced through his mind, the answering machine that had been reading off messages for the past ten minutes suddenly sent his mother's voice out to fill the otherwise quiet apartment, making him wish he'd stayed up later the previous night so he could have spoken to her himself.

_"Shuichi dear, how are you? Your brother just showed us the pictures of your university that you sent through e-mail. I was really relieved when I saw the pictures of your freshman night—with the thousands of students enrolled, I was worried you'd be culture-shocked and overwhelmed, but now it looks like I'm being a worry-wart again."_

His mother's tinkling laughter followed that statement and an answering smile tugged on his lips. The freshman night block party had been two weeks ago and he'd managed to win three events, schedule a date with a very pretty girl, and get elected as freshman block representative all in the space of two hours. After that he'd partied respectably enough, imbibed enough liquor to make him acceptable to even the wilder of his male peers, and closed the night with a midnight kiss outside his date's home.

Oh yeah, she was worrying too much again, all right.

_"Congratulations on your elections, dear, but make sure it doesn't get in the way of your studies, all right? Call me when you can, and make sure you're free next weekend. Your father has a meeting over there on Friday and he wants to stay until Saturday so he can spend some time with you. Take care, honey!"_

After that came a noisy follow-up message from his younger brother, who demanded to know why he hadn't sent him the chemistry homework he'd promised along with the e-mail. As well as inquiries as to his standing with the sexy platinum blond who'd been holding his hand in three of the pictures.

_"Ku-**ra**-ma!"_

The masculine sing-song voice that followed Shuichi the Second's message was equally welcome to his ears. It had been quite a while since he'd heard from this particular friend, and he doubly regretted hitting the sack instead of having the movie marathon he'd promised himself after a week's worth of preliminary examinations and organization applications.

_"So how's college, Fox Boy? Ugh, Keiko's so busy over here that it's been eight whole days since we last spoke. Talk about nerve! After all that drama about missing me!"_

Chuckling, he flicked non-existent lint off his jacket and proceeded to straighten his immaculate collar even as his mind conjured up the expression on his friend's face as the message went on.

_"I'm bored to tears right now, so bear with me, all right? I'd go pick on Kuwabara, but he's as busy as you, and the guy must have missed a payment or something because his phone line's unavailable. As for Hiei…well…I might as well talk to myself. Which is pretty much what I'm doing now, as you're probably weeding your garden…or something. Anyway, as long as you're all right. Keep your fur clean."_

Youko Kurama (The Fox), also known as Shuichi Minamino, snorted at that, but his mood climbed a notch higher. He had learned after centuries of existence that the best thing to think about and treasure was the present. The fact that important people from his past were still in his present validated the belief—though he refused to consider what the present would be like if they were not. Instead, he made a mental note to call them back as soon as he got home.

With the next message came a voice he identified with slick sheets and tangled legs, and he grinned to himself as she reminded him about the party they were attending that evening.

He modified his mental note summarily. He would call them back _if_ he got home.

---

**_I want to go to the gym today._**

Kurenai forced herself to ignore the abrupt announcement from the obnoxious roommate that had set himself up in her head, instead forcing herself to get lost in the complexity of Hobbes' work. They were barely into anyone at that point, but she had read most of the works on the reading list and she was determined to read those she hadn't. University equated to big time in her mind. She had been relaxed in high school because she had promised herself that she would give a hundred and fifty percent in college. And she kept her promises—particularly those she made to herself.

**_We're starting to get fat._**

Even if it meant having to deal with "herself." Kuronue insisted that he was very much a part of her, yet he was so different from Kurenai that she would never believe it—regardless of the fact that unlike most voices in one's head, he refused to go away. Unlike most imaginary friends, he didn't retreat into a convenient box in her mind to be pulled out when she wanted. He was like a mental appendix—a constant risk, even in his most relaxed state—and since they had begun having the dreams, he had hardly been relaxed. He threw a tantrum when she refused him Ben and Jerry's (which basically equated to a splitting headache that lasted until Kurenai had begrudgingly shoved half a gallon of Double Mint Chocolate Chip down her throat—though the headache was promptly replaced by brain freeze), woke her up in the middle of the night to take brisk walks out in the biting cold, and disrupted her usual activities whenever she became absorbed in them. It was like he was constantly wanting to be doing something _other_ than what she was doing, yet when she'd confronted him about it he'd sullenly replied that he didn't know.

It was just that they needed to be doing _something_—and Kurenai resigned herself to a difficult time when Kuronue had no clear answer as to _what_ that something was. She chalked it up to free-floating anxiety, but even that had its roots. And she was not a little bit worried about what those roots were. They tied in somewhere with the dreams—of that she was sure. But she didn't have the energy or the knowledge to find out. They dreamt about Kuronue's past, after all, and if he was at a loss, what direction could she give them?

**_I need to be comforted. Bring us to the gym now._**

_We can always work out here_, she shot back mildly, flipping the page and picking up her pencil to underline a phrase and scribble a comment next to it.

**_We need professional help._**

_Yes, I wanted to see Kohaku-san, too_, Kurenai smirking when she felt the repulsion pulsing from the part of her that was Kuronue.

**_I want to be trained by Sango-san._**

_Kuronue, for Kami's sake, shut up! When you find out what's making you such a whiny little bitch, then you have nagging privileges!_

Thankfully, the phone ringing pre-empted any tantrums Kuronue could have pulled. Shutting the book and sighing heavily, she picked up the handset and mumbled a greeting.

"Kure-chan?" came an excited female voice from the other line.

"What is it, Yako?" Kurenai asked patiently, inwardly groaning even as Kuronue perked up a fraction.

"You will _not_ believe what just happened!" shrieked her friend of four years. "I just got an invitation to a mixer hosted by the College of Economics!"

"Honey, I'm a linguistics major," Kurenai pointed out flatly. "Ask me why I would be interested."

**_Well, I was a thief when I was alive, remember? Why did you enroll in linguistics? I told you, the world is a place where money talks. The more you have of it—_**

_Kuronue, shut up or I'm giving all my savings to charity. _

"You're the worst," Yako snapped peevishly, breaking into Kuronue's sulking silence. "Can't you at least be _happy_ for your best friend? You _do_ know what this means for me, don't you?"

"Uh…you get to rub up to a lot of rich guys?"

At the pause that followed, she coughed and tried again.

"Um…you get to rub up to _wannabe_ rich guys?"

_"No."_ The single word came through so venomously that Kurenai inched the phone away from her ear. "_Seravi-sempai_ is the student council representative from CE. Do you _not_ see how important that is?"

_Ah, yes of course._ Kurenai closed her eyes and sighed inwardly. Yako had a famous—or more appropriately, _infamous_—obsession with a rich young man who she had met at a math competition when they were in high school. They'd been freshmen then, and while he'd kicked Yako's ass in calculus he'd also managed to score her heart—much to his chagrin. He'd graduated two years earlier, but it had only made Yako more determined to be with him. It had prompted her decision to continue studying in Japan rather than go abroad, and _while_ Kurenai was happy…

"…long years of separation will finally…"

**_Kami, this girl doesn't know when to quit, does she?_**

_Well, Seravi really made an impression on her. _

_**I thought it would be of the bad kind. Honestly, looking at that guy, I'm not impressed. **_

"…my best friend that I've confided in for years and years and years…"

_Don't be mean. Besides, it's what Yako thinks that's relevant here._

**_Has Yako ever seen us when we're in my form? Now that's something to be impressed with._**

_Kuronue, you did not just insinuate that we hook up with Yako. Ugh, that's so creepy! If what you say is true, and you're me, she's practically our sister!_

_**And that is not a bad thing. Let me tell you the story of—**_

_PLEASE! NO MORE CREEPY YOUKAI-INCEST STORIES!_

"ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?"

Both occupants of Kurenai's body winced at the screech and Kurenai resisted the urge to grind her teeth.

_No, Yako, I'm not listening._

_**Yes, we were talking to ourselves. You're hot, but Kurenai finds she's happier talking to me.**_

_On second thought…_

"You were saying?" Kurenai asked resignedly, mentally smothering Kuronue.

She could see Yako rolling her eyes on the other line.

"_Anyway,_ I was hoping you'd help me pick out what to wear."

**_Do we get to be in the changing room with you? Maybe we don't need to see Sango-san after all._**

_Shush!_

"Yako, you bought a whole new wardrobe for university. It's just been a week. You can't have worn them all out yet."

"_Kurenai…"_ Yako whined in a voice that dictated a losing battle for her best friend, "…this is _special. Didn't I just explain it to you?"_

Rather than risk another tirade, zone-out, misguided conversation with Kuronue, and more damage to her ear by a shrieking Yako, she let out a tired sigh to show displeasure but nonetheless muttered—

"Where?"

---

Eight hours later, Kurenia's mood had plummeted from purgatory to the pits of the ninth hell.

**_I think we look hot._**

_Not helping, Kuronue._

"Kurenai, you look great," Yako snipped impatiently, swatting the hand that was "ruining" her creation. "For Kami's sake, we've been here half an hour and you've scared off every single guy that's so much as _looked_ at you! Could you please relax your face into something that's less of a grimace?"

"Gee, I dunno, it must be all the _makeup _you put on it," Kurenai shot back heatedly. She'd just about had it with her friend and the ridiculous obsession that had prompted all of this. "I can barely see through my lashes and the silicon in that lipstick is really soaking in."

When they had met up at the Ginza Strip six hours ago, she had been far more tolerant. She'd come prepared with the mantra "Yako needs help. Hopefully, if I indulge her a bit with this obsession, it won't mean 'professional' help." Yako almost reached Kuronue's standards in terms of temper tantrums after not getting what she wanted.

It had been fine—even when Yako had gone through half the stores on the Strip without finding anything to her satisfaction. Three hours later and all they'd managed to find were the shoes and earrings for the look. By then Kurenai's flip-flops resembled burned rubber, and her head was pounding—partly due to Yako and partly due to Kuronue's running fashion commentary—which by the third hour she was too tired to try and stop. As they'd searched for the perfect dress, makeup, perfume, and—heaven help her—lingerie, Kuronue hadn't even paused for breath.

Kurenai clutched her head then as comments like, "MORE CLEAVAGE!", "Oh _yes_, I'd _love_ to help unzip you", and "The skirt just needs to be a _little_ bit higher...you've got to display that lingerie, don't you?" echoed through.

He didn't improve when Yako (with the assistance of several salesladies) ambushed Kurenai for her own "new look." If he'd been lewd, suggestive, and downright horny over Yako's body, he was caught between criticizing Kurenai for taking such poor care of their body and adoring their "divine" form nonetheless. If Yako and her underlings hadn't been on hand to prevent her, comments like "I _told_ you we needed to go to the gym", "_Kami, is that a stretch mark?"_, and "You're so lucky you're me. I make all of your flaws work" would have had her ripping the expensive couture from her body.

Then had come the salon time, and for the fifth time since she'd seen herself she resisted the urge to dunk her head in one of the vats of cider that were positioned nearby.

Then again, the venue for the mixer was not very well-lit. A glittering disco ball shot prisms into the twilight of the dance hall, which was enhanced by the mellow blue lights that reached out from the ceiling and walls. A DJ was spinning a furious, fun beat at the end of the room, and before him was a tangled mass of bodies in sync. Three staircases led up to the balconies that served as a dining area and lounge for those that wanted to get away from the crowd. As far as she knew, there were also several karaoke rooms and private dining rooms down the hall from where she sat, but Kurenai had firmly resolved to sit herself down at the bar by the corner and drink herself through the evening. Her head hurt, her face was itching, she could barely breathe in her dress, and her feet had gone on strike.

Yako let out a huff and glared at her before getting up and smacking a bill down onto the bar.

"You could at _least_ be supportive," she sniffed. "Seravi-sempai is _never_ late but he's not _here._ What if he's hurt somewhere on the way?"

"Then he's lucky," answered Kurenai sharply. "He won't have to put up with you _or_ this awful crowd."

Yako's eyes rounded out and Kurenai instantly regretted what she had said. She knew it showed—which was probably the only reason Yako didn't hit right across the face for it. Instead, she sniffed loudly and turned on her heel. Her first impulse was to follow, but—

**_Let her go. You're pissed, and she's been asking for it all day._**

_Trust you to say that. I need to apologize. That was way lower than she deserved._

_**Right now you're in no position to say anything to anyone. Come on, you've put your foot in your mouth enough for one day.**_

_Gee, that's exactly what I needed to feel better, Kuronue. Thanks a lot._

_**Welcome. I know what'll make you feel even better. Ask the bartender for a "Suicide."**_

---

The CE mixer was a lot of fun. He was friends with most of the people there already, and everyone was just bent on having a good time that they were all pretty much doing their own thing. Some people preferred to dance, others to wine and dine, and others simple to wine. Some people were taking advantage of the evening to soften up professors, bond with others in their class, do extensive networking, and even pursue more serious discussions such as marketing deals, proposed projects, and others.

Himself, Kurama preferred to have a one-on-one interaction with the delectable young woman who'd befriended him during the block party.

He looked down into the burning depths of her deep, deep eyes and languorously slid his mouth over hers, nipping sharply at the soft, rosy flesh of her bottom lip. She gasped, opening her mouth and providing him the entry he needed. Her lashes drifted shut and she moaned deep in her throat as his mouth locked onto her own and his searing tongue drove into the slick recesses of her mouth. She pressed forward eagerly at this, heat spiraling down, down, down into nerve endings she was never truly conscious of. Now they all screamed for more—**for him.**

Then he was pulling back, leaving her gasping and groaning in protest. A chuckle sounded in his chest, the vibration sending sensation through her own torso, which was pressed so achingly close to his. The slightly rough texture of his tongue was soothing the sting of his soft bite on her lip and she sank helplessly into the sofa, no longer wanting to fight him.

Smugly, he looked down into the beautiful girl's flushed, defeated face and raised himself slightly off her. His eyes drifted upwards to check the time before they froze.

And locked onto dark, cornflower blue eyes that chilled the hottest of the flames in his body.

---

**_Kuronue to Kurenai, Kuronue to Kurenai: WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? ASK IF YOU CAN JOIN IN THE FUN!_**

"Oh," Kurenai managed to choke out, her nausea overtaken by mortification as the situation she'd barged into began to sink in. "O-Omigod."

When the bartender had slid over the sizeable glass of dark liquid, she hadn't been alarmed. Even when her nose had picked up the mind-numbing smell of strong spirits, slightly overripe dark fruit, and probably a pint of some other poison, she'd been more welcoming of the drink than anything else. Yako still hadn't shown up to give her a piece of her mind (which usually took place five or ten minutes after the dramatic exit), which only conveyed the gravity of her mistake.

So she'd downed the searing concoction in a single gulp, and followed it up with a glass of whisky in a misguided attempt at self-punishment as her kidneys and liver imploded and the rest of her internal organs were burned away.

At least it felt like that now, after she realized that while alcohol hit most people straight in the head, in her case her stomach took the main brunt of the blow. It had resulted in a frenzied scramble for the bathroom, the yanking of several doors, and finally—

The walking in on a couple that were singing notes apart from the ones required by the karaoke machine.

**_Saaaaaaay sooooomeeeething…_**

_Kuronue, shut up! You're the one who said I'm in no state to talk to anyone!_

_**Body language, babe! I mean, that's what they're using to communicate with each other!**_

_Omigod, you're trashed. How can you be trashed? I'm the one who imbibed all that liquor! _

"I...uh…um…" She wasn't even looking at the couple anymore. She wasn't sure if she'd see them even if she tried. The shadows in the hall and the karaoke room were merging, swallowing up the garish light of the TV screen and the mellow lighting of the karaoke room. Panic was fluttering in her chest and she slid a hand up over her eyes to try as she held the doorpost and tried to steady herself past the strange swimming sensation.

**_Go on ahead, Kurenai. I'll take care of our body for us. Try to find a nice dream. I don't want to join you when you're dreaming of undressing Kohaku or Seravi or some other cringe-worthy being._**

_W-What? Don't take over Kuronue, come with me! Better we pass out now—it'll be less awkward for everyone and we can play the "too drunk to realize anything" card. _

_**Hush, darling, just go on and sleep ahead. There's a reason I need to stay awake for us.**_

_Please don't have sex with them. Please don't. A threesome for my first time is just too weird._

_**I won't, I won't. Now come on, sleep already. I need to take over.**_

Her senses were leaving her. In moments, the smell of alcohol and the tacky perfume Yako had sprayed onto her had faded, the feel of the post she held onto and the floor beneath her feet, as well as the sound of the karaoke and the faint music from the floor below, were gone. Her meager vision was darkening, and the last thing she saw before she let go of the ledge and fell into darkness were a pair of sharp, shocked green eyes.

-Preview of the Next Chapter-

_"It appears that we are at an impasse," said Kurama smoothly. "What I can discern from you is that you are clearly high-level youkai to be able to cloak your youki from me and moreover, quite intelligent to be able to conceal your identity."_

_"Right back at you," the girl's reply came with a wide grin that shifted her cold features into something different…yet familiar. There was something about her that set him on edge because it reminded him of someone, yet he couldn't quite put his finger on **who**. "Usually, buttering up your enemy's ego with such flippantly-delivered compliments gets them to reveal more about themselves than they would. Unfortunately for you, flattery doesn't work on me."_

_"Oh, it doesn't?" Kurama raised a brow. Ego practically radiated from the person before him._

_She shook her dark head, still grinning. _

_"I know it already, so saying things like that to me are like reciting fact," she shrugged with a laugh. "Besides, I've been with the best of charmers, so I'm pretty immune to your type."_

_"I knew you were an egotist," the Fox laughed—more to himself than her. _

_But the smile faded as memory jerked at her response. _

_"I know. Don't you just love that about me?"_

-End of Preview-

**Further Author's Notes:** So what did you think? ;) I hope you don't feel _too_ ripped off. The next chapter's an interlude between Kuronue and Kurama—only Kuronue's in Kurenai's body, and from the preview I think you can pretty much guess that not all the cards are on the table yet. I hope you guys are looking forward to it. Please let me know what you think by e-mailing me or leaving me a review. ;)

And now, as per my habit, my long-overdue thank-you-s! ;)

_gillian-raine:_ I actually didn't realize that Kurenai was a name in _Flame of Recca_ until I watched the series again a few months ago. But I do like the name, so I'm glad you like it, too. Thank you for reviewing! ;)

_nine-lifes:_ Still no Kagome in this chapter, darling, but hang in there. ;) She's not far off—maybe by the next chapter or the one right after. Thanks for reviewing, and I'm hoping that you liked this one! ;)

_Inikus:_ I've brought you Kurama, dear, and while it's very late for your last birthday, it's two months early for your next birthday, so I hope that's okay. ;) Lol, I didn't think I'd like shounen-ai, but after a few good ones I'm starting to appreciate it. Um…I'm not sure about your mom though… ;)

_AlsoToLazyToLogin: _Thank you for reviewing, and I'm hoping you didn't get tired of the wait! ;) Here's the update, and I'm hoping you liked it. ;)

_QueenOfCrisis:_ Thank you so much, darling! ;) I'm so glad you liked it. ;) I thought I'd try yaoi, but it was just so damned hard, and I was obsessed (still am) with gender-bending my favorite characters in favorite animes, so I decided I'd try Kuronue and Kurama with a twist. I hope you liked the update, and please let me know even if you didn't! ;)

See you guys later! ;)


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